Milk-bottle receptacle.



T. P. SCALELLA.

MILK BOTTLE RECEPTACLE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1, 191a.

Patented Aug. 7, 1917.

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T. P. SCALELLA;

MILK sums RE CEPTACLE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-1,1916.

Patented Aug. 7, 1917.

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THOMAS P. SCALELLA, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MILK-BOTTLE RECEPTACLE.

Application filed November 1, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS P. SoALELLA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Milk-Bottle Receptacles, of which the following is a specification.

The principal'object of my invention is to provide a novel construction of deposit and collection receptacle, specifically designed for use with milk-bottles and the like, which will positively prevent theft of the latter.

A further object is to provide a device of this character wherein the hinged door to the receptacle is automatically locked when moved inward, or to a closed position, by the milkman, after he has deposited a milk-bottle within the receptacle. That is to say, when the door is shut, mechanism operates automatically to lock the door against opening from the outside thereof.

A further object is to provide a receptacle of this nature whereby an occupant of a dwelling house equipped therewith may, upon opening the house-door, obtain access to the recept'acles interior; and, by pulling a lever, accomplish, simultaneously, two re sults, namely (1) unlocking of the receptacle-door, and (2) moving of the said door slightly ajar, so that it may be readily opened wider by the milkman upon his next round, for the purpose of depositing an other milk-bottle within the receptacle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will be simple in construction, easily 0perated, and thoroughly efficient in operation.

Further and subsidiary objects of improvement, going to make up the ultimate perfection of the entire device will appear as the specification proceeds and the nature of the invention more fully appears.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown, as illustrative examples, different forms of possible embodiments of my invention capable of carrying out the underlying principles; it being understood that like reference-characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views. The different views may be briefly desc ibed as follows:

Figure l is a perspective view of one Patented Aug. '7, 1917. Serial No. 128,812. A

form of my milk-bottle receptacle, illustrating theposition thereof with respect to a house-door.

Figs. 2 and 3 are, respectively, vertical and horizontal sections, on the lines 9.--2 and 3-3, of Fig. 1, the parts being in the position which they occupy when the receptacle-doorhas been unlocked and before re lease of the operating-lever by the operator;

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary detail view, showing, more particularly, the locking means for the receptacle-door;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a form of receptacle substantially similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 4:, but embodying slightly different positioning of exactly the same parts as are shown in Figs. 1 to 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a house door and frame, showing a slightly modified form of receptacle sunk into the doorframe;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on the line 77, Fig. 6

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail view, showing, more particularly, the door-locking and unlocking means for the form of device shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

Referring, now, in detail to the drawings, and, first, to the form of receptacle shown in Figs. 1 to 4:

The receptacle 1 may be a boxlike structure of any suitable or preferred form, and is closed on top and bottom and three of its sides, the fourth side being open, as will be apparent by an inspection and comparison of Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The open side is designed to be positioned next to the housedoor A, as shown in Fig. 3, and the receptacle 1 is, therefore, so secured to the doorframe B that, when the house-door A is closed, it will close said open side of the receptacle, as shown in Fig. .3, thus preventing access to the interior of the receptacle at this side thereof so long as the house door is closed.

The receptacle is, preferably, of some inexpensive material, such as tin, and may be japanned, or painted, or otherwise protected against the effects of moisture, and to provide a sightly and ornamental object.

The receptacle is provided with a door 2, hinged at 3 to the receptacle.

Rotatably mounted in bearings 4t, 4 carried on the inner face of one of the sides of the receptacle is a rock-shaft 5., pro- Thereuporr, the operator bears down upon 'vided with a bent or angled terminal 6, constituting one of the two cooperating doorlocking members.

7 designates a lever or handle for operating the rock-shaft, and, in this instance, it is conveniently made integral therewith, and bent, at 8, upon itself, as shown, so as to present two substantially parallel sections. Desirably, the rock-shaft 5 and integral lever 7 are formed from a single rod bent and shaped as described. The free end of that portion of the rod forming the lever 7 projects, as shown at 9, beyond and transversely of the rock-shaft; which projecting portion 9, by contacting with the side or wall 1 of the receptacle, in the upward movement of said lever, upon release thereof by the operator after said lever has been moved to unlock the receptacle-door, acts as a stop tolimit said upward movement.

In order to maintain the lever 7 normally in horizontal position (which constitutes the raised position thereof), a spring wire 10 is coiled around the rockshaft 5, one end 10 thereof bearing against the inner face of the wall or side 1 of the receptacle and the other end 10" being hooked under and in en gagement with the lever 7. Therefore, when the handle or lever 7 is moved downward against the tension of the spring 10, it will as soon as released by the operator, be returned to normal horizontal position by said spring.

Carried by the inner face of the receptacle door 2, and occupying a position thereon in proximity to the angled terminal 6 of the rock-shaft 5, and in the path of movement of said terminal when the lever or handle 8 is swung downward, is a cam 11. Also carried by the inner face of said door and positioned in a horizontal plane above the top of said cam 11, is a locking-hook 12, pro vided with beveled or inclined cam-edge 13, the latter being for a purpose presently appearing. The hook 12 and the angled terminal 6, by mutual engagement, cooperate in locking the door in closed position, as shown in Fig. 4.

Suitable means are provided for preventing longitudinal movement of the rock-shaft 5;. and, in this instance, this object is accomplished by vertically slotting the bearing 4, as Shown at 4, from the lower edge thereof upward for a suitable distance, said angled terminal 6 working in said slot.

- A milk-bottle C is shown in. Fig. 3, as disposed within the receptacle.

The operation of the form of receptacle thus far described is as follows: Figs. 8 and 4 showing the locked position of the door 2,. to unlock the door and simultaneously push said door slightly ajar, the house door A is, of course, first opened, which permits access to the interior of the receptacle 1.

the handle or lever 7, against the tension of the spring 10. The rock-shaft is thus rotated throughout a part revolution. Conse quently, the angled terminal 6 of said rockshaft 5 rides away from the locking-hook 12 (as shown in Fig. 2), and in such movement of the angled terminal 6 from the upward-projecting position thereof shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 2, it rides onto and bears forcibly against the cam 11, thus pushing the receptacle-door 2 slightly ajar, as shown in F ig. 2, (whereby the milkman, on his next round to deliver milk, can easily open said door and insert a milk-bottle within the receptacle) 5 the lever or handle 7 is then released, whereupon the spring 10 returns the handle to normal horizontal position, and the angled terminal 6 to an upstanding position, in'the path of movement of the inclined or beveled camedge 13 of the locking-hook 12 when the receptacle-door 2 is swung to a closed position. When the milkman places a mill-:- bottle within the receptacle 1, he swings the receptacle-door 2 to a closed. position, and in this movement of the door the inclined cam-edge 13 of the locking-hook 12 strikes against the angled terminal. 6 and moves the same and the rock shaft 5 against the tension of the spring 10, and, as soon as the end 13 of the locking-hook 12 passes beyond the angled terminal 6, the spring 10 operates, of course, to swing the rockshaft 5 and the terminal 6 in the reverse direction, so that the terminal 6 occupies the position shown in Fig. 4. The receptacle-door 2 is thus automatically locked by the mere act of the milkman closing said door.

14 designates a hook, which may be carried by the inner face of the door 2, on which hook a written memorandum or order-slip, or milk-checks, may be sus pended.

Referring, now, to the form of receptacle shown in Fig. 5: For clearness of illustration of the interior parts of the receptacle, one side of the latter has been removed. This form of my receptacle is substantially the same as that shown in Figs. 1 to 4. The only differences are in respect to disposition of identically the same structural parts as are present in the device of Figs. 1. to 4. In this form, 2* designates the hinged door, 5 the rock-shaft, 7 the handle thereof, 10" the spring, and 6. the angled terminal of the rock-shaft. When in looking engagement with the locking-hook 12 said angled terminal 6 occupies a horizontal position, instead of a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 4. And, necessarily, instead of having the locking-hook 12 disposed in a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 4,. the- 7 shown in Figs.

cam engaged by the angled terminal 6*, in the same manner and for the same purpose as the cam 11 of the device of Fig. 4. The loclring-hook 12' has a beveled or inclined cam-edge 13 for the same purpose as the cam 13 of the device of Figs. 1 to 4.

Referring, now, to the form of receptacle 6, 7 and 8: These figures illustrate a form of receptacle designed to be sunk into the door-frame, so that the exterior surface of the hinged door of the receptacle will lie flush with the exterior surface of the door-frame B. 1 designates the receptacle, which is sunk in a cavity in the door-frame B, as shown. The open side of the receptacle communicates with a registering opening B extending through the door-frame. The door 2 is hinged at 3, 3 and carries, on its inner face, a lockinghook 12*, having a beveled or cam-edge 13 for the same purpose as the similar camedges 13, 13 of the devices of Figs. 1 to 4: and 5, respectively.

Engageable with said hook 12 is an angled locking-member 6 carrying an arm 6 extending at a right-angle to the member 6", for a purpose presently appearing. The locking-member 6 is carried at one end of a rock-shaft 5 rotatably mounted in bearings 4 carried on the inner face of the side wall 1 of the receptacle. At the other end, the rock-shaft carries an integral handle or lever 7 of the same construction and for the same purpose as the handles 7 and 7 of the devices of Figs. 1 to 41 and 5. 10 designates the spring disposed similarly to, and for the same purpose as, the springs 10 and 10 of the devices of Figs. 1 to 4 and 5.

It will be noted, in connection with the device of Figs. 6, 7 and 8, that the cams 11 and 11 of the devices of Figs. 1 to 4 and 5 is omitted, as unnecessary, and that, when the handle 7 b is moved downward to rotate the rock-shaft 5 and to rock the lockingmember 6 downward and away from the locking-hook 12", the lower end of the arm 6 is brought forcibly against the door 2 thus moving the same so that it stands slightly ajar.

l/Vhile I have described, with particularity, concrete embodiments of my inventive ideas, yet it is to be understood that modifications, especially in detail, may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claim, without departing from the spirit of the invention; and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope and purview thereof.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters-Patent of the United States, 1s:

In a milk-bottle receptacle, a hinged door carrying, on its inner surface, a stationary locking-member, a movable locking-member carried on the inner surface of one of the side walls of the receptacle and operable, when the door is swung to a closed position, to automatically engage with said stationary locking-member to lock the door against opening from without, said movable lockingmember comprising a rock-shaft carrying a lever bent upon itself to form two substantially parallel sections, the free end whereof projects transversely across said rock-shaft, forming a stop to limit movement in one direction of said rock-shaft, and a cam carried by said door and arranged in the path of movement of one end of said movable locking-member, and forcibly borne against by said movable locking-member when the latter is moved to disengage said lockingmembers.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS P. SCALELLA.

lVitnesses F. T. GUGLIA, FUENTES Pnrrrs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

